INCREASING THE COVERAGE OF CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT IN THE SYSTEM OF PRESCHOOL EDUCATION OF THE ČUKARICA PRIMARY SCHOOL

A meeting with the representatives of the Preschool Institution Čukarica was held in the hall of the City Municipality of Čukarica, at which further cooperation on the Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Project was agreed with the Municipality.

The meeting was opened by a member of the Municipal Council, Stana Lukić, reminding those present that a meeting was held last week with representatives of non-governmental organizations and associations dealing with Roma issues in Čukarica. Stana Lukić used the opportunity to introduce them to the project implemented by the Čukarica Police Department, with the support of the City Municipality of Čukarica, with the idea of joining as many children of the Roma population as possible in educational workshops to be held at the “Carić” Kindergarten at Čukarička padina.

The director of the Čukarica Police Department, Biljana Gajić, expressed gratitude for the successful cooperation that has lasted many years and for the networking with other institutions that deal with children and families in Čukarica.

Social worker of PU Čukarica Milica Marković and a clerk for national minorities of Čukarica Metija Kadrijević pointed out that during a tour of the Roma settlement at the edge of Čukarička padina they mapped 25 children who are not in the system of preschool education, in order to join short quality programs.

The proposal of the project coordinator, Aleksandra Petrović, was to first prepare and distribute educational packages to children as an invitation to join the Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Project.

The plan is for all children involved in the Project to receive educational packages. So far, 48 educational packages for children have been distributed, and in the next period, 49 more educational packages will be.

It was agreed that on March 5, 2021, families will be invited to the Čukarička padina local community to have packages distributed to children, and that immediately before that, Metija Kadrijević and Milica Marković will have a meeting with a representative of the Roma community and organize a trip to the Roma settlement.

The Round Table discussion, planned to be organized by the end of March 2021 via Zoom platform, was also discussed at the meeting.

At the suggestion of the director of the Čukarica Police Department, Biljana Gajić, the municipality will send the invitation for the Round Table to all relevant institutions. It was agreed that 30 participants from the local community will participate, including representatives of the Ministry, the Health Center, the Center for Social Work, Roma organizations, non-governmental organizations and others.

Biljana Gajić informed the attendees that on March 3, a horizontal exchange will be realized with PU “Poletarac” from Odžaci and PU “Zrenjanin” from Zrenjanin and that she will send the invite to the member of the Council Stana Lukić by e-mail.

Ana Duduković also attended the meeting in front of the City Municipality of Čukarica, as a support to the team of the Preschool Institution Čukarica in the realization of the Inclusive Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Project.